Morocco
BISCUIT travels to Marrakech in search of sunshine, inspiration and gorgeous unique new products to bring home to our stores.
(lunch at Naranj, the courtyard at Riad Khol & La Famille restaurant)
Here you will find our guide to the bustling busy city that we fell in love with on our minibreak.
( the view from Riad Khol and tea and biscuits on arrival at Bliss Riad)
Everywhere you look there is something to see, donkeys pulling carts piled high with fresh mint & fruit, motorbikes whizzing passed down the tiny cobbled streets and we can’t even begin to tell you about the wonderful smells. All senses are heightened with colourful spices, street food cooking and snake charmers playing tunes.
(sun setting over Jamaâ El-Fna from Café De France)
We were lucky enough to have 4 days in the city which is plenty time to explore and take it all in. Staying in the Medina, the old city within the walls, means you re right in the centre of the action. We would highly recommend staying at Bliss Riad, or slightly further out is Riad Khol. Both offer delicious breakfasts in the central courtyards and have vast roof terraces to soak up the sun. March is a great time to go before it gets too hot and gives you a spot of Winter sun with temperatures sitting around 25 degrees.
(interior shots of Bliss Riad)
We used the wonderful guides at Morocco Desert Escapades for our airport transfers and they offer bespoke guided tours both in the city and out to the Atlas mountains and beyond.
Eating out
You are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to eating out or even just stopping for a pot of delicious Moroccan tea (a scrumptious blend of green tea, fresh mint leaves and herbs with or without copious amounts of sugar). Try Café Atay for rooftop views or Café De France in the main square Jamaâ El-Fna and watch the sun go down.
(the view from Café Atay)
Our absolute favourite lunchtime spot was the Naranj Restaurant which served the most delicious Lebanese inspired cusines on a casual roof terrace high above the hectic streets. We highly recommend the delicious aubergine and mince dish which comes topped with fried pita bread and yoghurt, we’re still dreaming about it! La Famille on the same street (booking essential) was another fav situated in a small tiled courtyard with Mediterranean inspired vegetarian cooking.
When posed with the question, where should we go for dinner? We were flummoxed. Far too much choice!! We choose Le Jardin for our first night and bravely ordered Pigeon Pastilla (a local dish made up off filo pastry, scrambled eggs and pigeon topped with icing sugar, delicious!!)
(vegetable cous cous and date cake at Nomad)
Both Nomad and Café Epices located in the old spice square are under the same management as La Famile and both offer something different. For Café Des Epices think fresh juices and scrummy colourful salads and at Nomad watch the sun set surrounded by lanterns and try contemporary tagines and cous cous. The roasted cauliflower came highly recommended and did not disappoint and as for the saffron and date cake with salted caramel sauce well our taste buds are still watering!
On our final night dined at El Fenn, a hotel on the edge of the Medina. We were served an incredibly delicious set menu of Moroccan dishes served in traditional terracotta bowls. Our personal favourite was definitely the fish tagine.
There are so many more amazing restaurants that we have left for our next trip, a simple google search of Marrakech restaurants will keep you well informed!
Must See Spots
Of course number one on our list was visiting all the souks with the huge variety of artisanal products from scrapes and slippers to lampshades and pottery. Half of the fun is bartering with the owners for the best prices (speaking French is definitely an advantage) and feeling like you’ve earned your purchases.
The recently opened Yves saint Laurent Museum was top of our list to visit. Showcasing his incredibly clothing and accessory designs from his long spanning career the exhibition is well worth a visit. Situated next to the incredibly popular Majorelle gardens out top tip would be to bypass the queues and head straight for the museum where you can purchase ad joint entry ticket for both the museum and the garden and peruse leisurely at your own pace.
The gardens themself are full to the brim with tourists but on a sunny day the giant cacti stand out against cobalt blue walls.
Le Jardin Secret is a calming oasis in the centre of the city where you will find terrapins swimming in ponds and the most beautiful array of plants and flowers from all over the world. Designed by Italian architects it is laid out to the description of heaven as told in the Quran. Read more about its history here.
If you are looking to take a trip outside of the city you can escape to the Beldi country club hotel and spa. A short taxi ride away to a peaceful haven where lunch is served in amongst the roses and a spot of shopping can be dome in their beautifully curated boutique. Whilst there you can watch skilled artisans blowing glass to make the most beautiful glasses and objects.
We were definitely taken by the magic of the country and one things for sure, we will definitely be back… with a few extra suitcases!
Stay tuned to see the gorgeous things we found during our trip which will be in store very soon!
Links
Bliss Riad - https://bliss-riad.net/en/
Riad Khol - http://riadkhol.com/uk/index.html
Desert Escapades Tour Guides - https://www.desertescapades.com/
Le Jardin Secret - lejardinsecretmarrakech.com/en/
The Beldi Country Club - beldicountryclub.com/en/
El Fenn Hotel & Resturant - https://el-fenn.com/
Nomad Restaurant - https://nomadmarrakech.com/